An eco fashion blog by a green novice, Shiny Little Green Things is an awareness project that supports fresh talents in the world of sustainable fashion.
It was such a beautiful day yesterday! A super hot summer day with dazzling sunshine, something I had been missing for so long. But before rushing to a picnic with my girlfriends in London Field, I had a visit to pay.
Just across Hyde Park filled with Londoners enjoying a dry day, Show RCA was flooded with fresh talents. I love student shows because their projects are so innovative and full of new and original ideas and no smell of fear at all. I love their energy and enthusiasm, it really makes me realise we are all part of a grand team making our future together.
One of my favorite was Ariane’s “From Here for Here.” She created a machine that turns school wastes into students’ everyday necessity: a cool looking pencil.
Thank you so much Ariane for giving this presentation (despite the lack of prep time!) Thank you Oscar and Attua from Silo Studio for giving me a tour! I’m excited about your future projects too, keep me posted ;)
I think it was a fate that I encountered this divine eco bag. On a rainy Wednesday I wondered into Liberty and a sales person (who must have been Cupid) saw my face and told me “you must have this.”
I’m obsessed with shoes. You can ask any person who knows me and they will know I’m a shoe maniac. Too bad I can’t buy them any more if they aren’t green, but now I can look at them on my eco bag.
Those are the three things I did yesterday that I had never done before. In particular, I never imagined I’d picnic in a heavy rain. Never mind the rain or your fancy stiletto stuck in the mud, just open your umbrella and keep going with your bubbly. Apparently, that’s how you make the most of the short summer in the world’s rain capital.
It was my first time going to the Ladies Day at the Royal Ascot and of course it was pouring! But in between the showers, we managed to show off our hats which we made for this special occasion. My friend Noriko and her fabulous Champagne-Strawberry-Top-Hat hat on the left, and me, with my Collaboration-in-My-Wardrobe hat. I used my old Issey Miyake skirt and a red flower (flower!) brooch which was hanging out on my book shelf. They are just tied and pined together, so they are completely detachable and after the big day they can go right back living their happy life as a skirt and a brooch until they are called for another mission.
It was my first time remaking a hat, but I always like making some temporary pieces like this one when I’m feeling a little creative instead of buying a new one. It gives me such a great feeling of satisfaction when making little new things out of my old wardrobe, adding little twist here and there. And the added bonuses are a pony saved in my wallet and another future waste prevented.
At 7:32 pm on Sunday night, I came back from a shopping trip for the outfit to wear on the Ladies Day at Royal Ascot on Thursday this week, empty-handed and wet-shoed from the merciless London rain. The waves of culture shocks don’t seem to ebb away anytime soon. A few days ago my new London friends asked me if I wanted to come to the Ladies Day at Royal Ascot and I said yes thinking it was some sort of ladies free party or ladies free movie night. Wrong. And now, I have to get a new hat (or a fascinator, I haven’t even heard of this word before), dress that covers my shoulders and knees, and a pair of modest high heels that’s also suitable for a picnic.
I thought about wearing my vintage Issey Miyake long skirt (with a deep slit that reveals my thigh but covers at least one knee) but I had to buy a top to go with it. So I went shopping and found a perfect top at American Apparel, a super snug, lacy black T that covers my shoulders and leaves my bra 95% visible. It looked great. Honestly, really flattering. I’d totally wear it with my black bikini top, but the official dress code at Royal Ascot says “no bare chest.” I laughed when I first read this, but now I may actually fall into this banned category.
I must have tried at least 20 or so hats and fascinators today but no luck. I love hats, I’d wear a straw hat with a wide brim, or a boater even, but flowers and feathers on the head just isn’t me. So I created a new headpiece for myself out of a skirt sitting in my wardrobe. I’ll show it to you when I take nice photos at the Ascot. It’s kinda cute, and so far I’m proud….
But then, I was going to write about Lu Flux and saw this picture of Lu Flux dress I took at Labour of Love in Upper Street in Islington. This could have been a perfect dress for the Ascot! A little flower here and there, but not too much. I’d wear it with a cute boater hat with a ribbon in cherry red colour to go with the print, and maybe a little flower too (maybe, maybe). And a pair of open-toe pumps in cherry red or even orange. That’d be a really cute picnic/Ascot outfit. It’s a little too late for me to change my plan as I already handmade my hat, but whoever feels like taking over this styling plan, go for it.
Lu Flux is a master of upcycling. I love how she puts together redundant fabrics and magically creates a vibrant and playful garments that portray her refreshing interpretation of modernness. A big thank you to Amy at Labour of Love, for showing me around the shop and introducing me to this label!
I love this video from Lu Flux AW 2011. God knows where her imagination takes us to, there are Chinese song in Arabic setting, and jelly fish flying out of birdcage. It’s a strange world, and I love it.
It was one of the first shops I wondered into when I first arrived in London. So it’s been about two months after I started to hang out at the shop spending beautiful afternoons in Notting Hill with this super hero team of volunteers, admiring great vintage findings and enjoying a girly chat, and writing newsletters in between some impulsive shopping (=donating).
And finally, the time has come. We threw a birthday party to celebrate the shop’s first birthday. And YES, I finally met the Queen of Shops…!
